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YubaNet founder and editor Pascale Fusshoeller — who had been facing deportation and who still must get her green card — was feted by about 400 people Sunday at a fundraiser to help cover her legal expenses.

Fusshoeller, a native of Luxembourg, was nearly deported after an Oct. 8 arrest, when it was discovered she had been living in the United States without an appropriate visa for nearly 15 years. YubaNet publisher and Fusshoeller’s partner Susan Levitz married Fusshoeller in July, and the couple was in the process of getting their paperwork together at the time of the arrest.

“I’m constantly amazed by the generosity of this community,” she said. “It was a great opportunity to say thanks, meet some of the people who heard about what happened to me via Carolyn Crane’s Facebook page, Let’s Support Pascale. They read the updates then took matters in their own hands, contacting elected officials, media, anyone who would listen.

“Without this community, I don’t believe I’d be home today,” Fusshoeller continued. “Both Susan and I are very, very thankful to everyone who cared enough to support us. And this was a great party.”

Fusshoeller credited organizers Beth Moore, Max Norton, Joey Jordan, Gail Smith and Cara Wasilewski with pulling it all off in a very short period of time, even coming up with a “hugging booth.”

Many volunteers came together to make the event happen, she noted, including the duo of Eleanor MacDonald and Paul Kamm and Achilles Wheel, providing music.

“The auction dream team composed of Janet Cohen, Kathy Dotson, Carlyle Miller and Cara Wasilewski managed the impossible,” Fusshoeller said. “In less than four hours, they sorted, labeled, displayed and priced all the auction items, then ran the closeout in record time.”

Fusshoeller still faces local misdemeanor charges relating to the traffic stop and has a court date Jan. 13.